A Woman's Touch

and I’ll be the first to admit I like being fussed over. She’s the reason I
    ’m here, by the way.“
    „Perhaps you’d better explain.“
    Glen’s engaging smile brightened by a few thousand watts. „I’m getting ahead of myself. Guess I’d better start from scratch.“ He executed a small, amusing bow. „Glen Ballard at your service, ma’am. My wife, Darla, and I got word you were in town. We wondered if you’d care to join us for a little get-together we had planned for this evening. Just a casual barbecue for a few of the neighbors. From all accounts, you definitely qualify as a new neighbor. Like to meet a few of the local folks?“
    Meeting the neighbors sounded fine as far as it went. But Rebecca experienced a very odd sensation at the thought of socializing with the woman who had once been engaged to Kyle. Still, sooner or later she knew she was going to have to deal with the Ballards. A casual barbecue might be the easiest way to feel out the situation.
    „That sounds wonderful,“ she said politely. „I accept.“
    Kyle swore. „Don’t be a fool, Becky. I thought you were smart enough not to fall for the snake oil and greasy charm.“
    „Why don’t you let the little lady make up her own mind, Stockbridge? You’ve had your chance with her. Kept her tucked away out of sight for over two months, from what I hear.“
    „The little lady makes her own choices,“ Kyle grated. „And she chose to stay with me for the past couple of months.“
    „Maybe that's because she didn’t know why you were keeping such a close eye on her, hmmm?“
    „The little lady,“ Rebecca broke in deliberately, „has no intention of listening to this kind of garbage on her own doorstep. If you will excuse me, I’m going to make myself a snack.“
    „My apologies, Miss Wade,“ Glen Ballard said with quick, apparently genuine contrition. „Didn’t mean to upset you. Don’t pay any attention to Stockbridge or me. We can’t be in the same room together for more than five minutes without wrangling. It’s in the blood, you know. Our daddies and granddaddies were the same way.“
    Kyle shot Glen a savage glance. „Don’t let him charm you, Becky. He’s good at it, I’ll admit. But it’s all fake. He’ll smile like that while he’s taking you for everything you’ve got.“
    „Miss Wade appears to be an intelligent woman. I expect she can tell the real thing from the fake when she sees it,“
    Glen Ballard said gently. „Lord knows she’s had long enough to figure out which category you fit into. Why don’t you stand aside and give her a fair chance to get to know me?“
    „I don’t plan to stand aside for you or anyone else, Ballard.“
    „Why not?“ Glen asked. „You ought to be used to it. You’ve had to stand aside in the past once or twice.“
    „Not for anything that mattered,“ Kyle said bluntly.
    Rebecca saw the dangerous gleam in Kyle’s eyes and a sinking feeling hit her. Glen must have been referring to the time he had married Kyle’s fiancée, Darla. It was obvious from the expression on Kyle’s face that the past was far from dead. She wondered how big a torch Kyle was carrying for the other woman.
    „Listen, you sonofa…“ Ballard began ominously.
    „Excuse me,“ Rebecca interrupted crisply. „I’ve got better things to do than listen to this. Kindly remember my threat. I do not threaten lightly.“ She slammed the door hard enough to alarm anyone who happened to be in the neighboring room.
    „I’ll pick you up in an hour, Miss Wade,“ Glen yelled cheerfully through the door.
    „Don’t bother. I’ll find my own way out to your place.“
    „If that’s what you want. Just ask the guy who runs this motel. He can give you directions. Darla will be looking forward to meeting you, Miss Wade. So long.“
    Rebecca leaned back against the cheap wooden door and listened to Glen Ballard striding away. He was whistling.
    Kyle was pounding arrogantly on the door before Ballard had driven out of the lot.
    „Open up, Becky. I want to talk to you.“
    „Not now, Kyle. I’ve got to get ready to meet my new neighbors.“
    „Like hell you do. Ballard’s just trying to con you. If you’re smart, you won’t let him within a hundred feet of you in the future.“
    „I’ll keep your advice in mind,“ she called back through the door. „Now go away, Kyle.“
    There was silence on the other side of the door. Rebecca waited for Kyle to try another tactic, but the next sound